Engine governor mechanism



Jan. 6, 1959 J. E. FRANCIS 2,867,196

ENGINE GOVERNOR MECHANISM Filed Jan. 28, 1957 INVENTOR. JOSEPH E. FRANCIS Y ATTORNE United States Patent 2,867,196 ENGINE GOVERNOR MECHANISM Joseph E. Francis, Utica, Mich., assignor to Holley Carburetor Company, Van Dyke, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application January 28, 1957, Serial No. 636,752

4 Claims. (Cl. 123-103) The present invention relates to engine governor'mechanism.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a speed governor for an engine including a fluid actuated speed responsive motor, and means under the control of the operator for rendering the motor non-responsive to speed changes.

More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide, in an internal combustion engine, a speed governor including a fluid pressure operated motor, means for applying manifold vacuum to the motor, a control valve for rendering the application of manifold vacuum ineffective including a speed responsive valve, and manually controlled means for rendering the speed responsive valve ineffective.

Still more specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide in an internal combustion engine a movable speed control member, a fluid actuated motor connected to said member to move said member in a direction to reduce engine speed upon exceeding a predetermined speed, means for applying manifold vacuum from the engine to the motor, a bleed passage effective to prevent operation of the motor by manifold vacuum, a speed responsive control valve in the bleed passage effective when closed to render the motor operative by manifold vacuum, a bypass passage around said control valve, a bypass valve in said bypass passage, and manually operated means, preferably in the form of a solenoid, for controlling said bleed valve to render said control valve inoperative.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention, wherein:

The figure is a diagrammatic sectional view of the engine governor mechanism.

The engine speed governor in accordance with the present invention operates to control the position of throttle plates located in air induction passages 12. The throttle plates are carried by a shaft 14. When the engine speed exceeds the speed for which the governor is set, the throttle plates 10 are closed by the operation of a fluid pressure actuated motor 16 including a diaphragm 18 having a rod 20 connected thereto and extending to a crank device 22 carried by the rod 14. A spring 23 is connected to the crank device and urges it toward the position illustrated which corresponds to throttle opening position.

In the motor 16, the space 24 below the diaphragm 18 may be connected to atmosphere and the space 26 above the diaphragm is connected through a passage 28 and passages 30 and 32 to a source of vacuum. The passage 32 communicates with the air intake passage downstream from the throttle places and accordingly applies manifold vacuum to the chamber 26. The passage 30 communicates with the air induction passage above the manifold and is accordingly subjected to a lesser vacuum. Suitable restrictors such as shown at 34 are provided to control the application of vacuum to the motor.

Connected to the passage 28 is a bleed passage 36 which connects to a passage 38 which leads to a centrifugal valve device 40 controlling inflow of air through passage 42 which connects to atmosphere or to the interior of the carburetor .at. the air intake side, where a pressure not substantially below atmospheric prevails. The details of the speed responsive valve 40 form no part of the present invention, it being sutficient to note that at a predetermined speed, the centrifugal force acting on the valve 40 overcomes the force of a spring urging the valve member radially inwardly toward open position, and permits the valve to move outwardly, thus preventing the flow ofair through the passages 42, 38 and 36 to passage28. 4

So long as a substantially unrestricted inflow of air through these last mentioned passages is permitted to the passage 28, the manifold connections 30 and 32 are inelfective to apply manifold vacuum to the chamber 26. When predetermined speed is reached however, the valve 40 closes and air is quickly evacuated from the chamber 26, drawing the diaphragm 18 upwardly and moving the throttles toward closed position. moves toward closed position, gradually blocking the port therein, a proportional increase in pressure drop across the diaphragm 18 results.

While an engine speed governor is useful in a vehicle, occasions arise when it is essential to override the governor and to provide for full acceleration as otherwise permitted. Such a condition arises when the driver of a vehicle is attempting to pass another vehicle and reaches governed speed in the process of passing. If it becomes essential to complete the passing operation quickly, it may be essential to provide for a full acceleration even though this results in exceeding the speed at which the governor is set to control.

In accordance with the present invention a bypass passage having branches 44 and 46 isprovided, these branches communicating with a solenoid controlled bypass valve 48 the solenoid of which includes a movable plunger 50 and the usual spring 51 and windings 52 grounded as indicated at 54 and connected through a switch 56 to a source of power such for example as a storage battery 58. The switch 56 is under the control of the operator. When occasion arises to provide for rapid acceleration even though it involves increasing the vehicle speed above governed speed, the operator merely closes the switch 56 which instantly opens the bypass valve 48 and permits a flow of air under atmospheric pressure to the passage 28, thus permitting the spring 23 to return control of the throttle plates 10 to the operator.

The drawing and the foregoing specification constitute a description of the improved engine governor mechanism in such full, clear, concise and exact terms as to-enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, the scope of which is indicated by the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. Engine speed control mechanism for an internal combustion engine comprising an engine throttle, a fluid motor connected to said throttle to close said throttle, means for supplying manifold vacuum to said motor to actuate-said motor, a bleed passage connected to said motor to prevent operation of said motor, a control valve in said bleed passage, engine speed responsive centrifugal means for closing said control valve at a predetermined engine speed to cause throttle closing operation of said motor, a bypass passage around said control valve, a bypass valve in said bypass passage, and manually controlled means for actuating said bypass valve to render said control valve ineffective to control said motor.

As the valve 40.

' "2,867,196 i g v a 4 "2.'E1igine speed control mechanism for an internal combustion engine comprising an engine throttle, a fluid motor connected to said throttle to close said throttle,

means for supplying manifold vacuum to saidmotor to combustionengine comprising an-engine throttle, a fluid motor connected to said throttle to close said throttle,

means for supplying manifold vacuum to said motor to actuate said motor, a bleed passage connected to said motor to prevent operationof saidmotor, a control valve in said bleed passage, engine speed responsive means for closing said control valve'at a predetermined engine speed to cause throttle closing operation-of'saidm'otor, a'bypass passage around said control valve, a' bypass valve in said bypass passage, manually-controlledsolenoid means for actuating said bypass valve to render said control valve ineffective to control said motor, and resilient means operably connected to said bypass valve to restore control of 'is de-energized.

4. Engine speed control" mechanism for an internal combustion engine comprising an engine throttle, a fluid motor connected to said throttle to close said throttle, means for supplying manifold vacuum to said motor to actuate said motor, a bleedzpa'ssage connected to said motor toprevent operation of said motor, a control valve in said bleed'passage, engine speed responsive means for closing said control valve at a predetermined engine speed to cause throttle closing operation of said motor, a bypass passage around said control valve, a bypass valve'insaid bypass passage, and manually controlled solenoid means for actuating said'bypass 'valve to render said control valve ineffective to control said motor, said bypass valve being normally closed and connected to said solenoid so that upon energization of said solenoid said bypass valve is opened, said bypass valve. being movable to closed position upon de-energization of said solenoid torestore control of said motor to said control valve.

References Cited-in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

